Compare towns
Conway vs Lee vs Whately
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Conway has the most people working from home (29.1%).
Lee has the shortest commute (18 min average).
Whately has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.4%).
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Conway | Lee | Whately |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,755 |
5,719Highest |
1,499Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
-2.6% MA: +7.4% |
+7.4%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 55.6±3Highest 39% above MA |
55.2±5.8 38% above MA |
49.3±6.7Lowest 23% above MA |
| Conway and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.5%±3.3Highest MA: 19.4% |
12.6%±5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
16.4%±3.8 MA: 19.4% |
| Conway and Whately are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 31.9%±4.1 MA: 17.9% |
33.4%±6.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
24.5%±6.3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Lee and Conway are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 60.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
44.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
47.6% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.6%±1.2 MA: 7.9% |
5%±2.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.5%±1.4Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Lee and Conway are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $97,250±$11k 6% below MA |
$83,750±$13kLowest 19% below MA |
$116,563±$15kHighest 12% above MA |
| Whately and Conway are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $395,900±$25k 30% below MA |
$352,700±$19kLowest 37% below MA |
$431,500±$22kHighest 23% below MA |
| Whately and Conway are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,800±$990Highest about the MA average |
$1,375±$212 22% below MA |
$977±$125Lowest 45% below MA |
| Conway and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,797Highest 3% below MA |
$3,980Lowest 34% below MA |
$5,027 16% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 23.9%±33.6Lowest MA: 51.8% |
57.3%±21.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
26.7%±29 MA: 51.8% |
| Lee and Whately are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
7.2%Highest MA: 10% |
5.4% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
71.1%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
88.2% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Highest 12 yrs newer than MA |
1959Lowest 5 yrs older than MA |
1974 10 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minHighest 18% below MA |
18 minLowest 38% below MA |
23 min 21% below MA |
| Work from home | 29.1%±8.5Highest MA: 18.6% |
16.4%±7.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
20.4%±8.5 MA: 18.6% |
| Conway and Whately are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #209 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Conway | Lee | Whately |
| High school in town | None in town | Lee Middle/High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.2 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet |
MA average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.